Apparatus for taking out cakes from centrifugal spinning units

ABSTRACT

A cake removal unit is disclosed for a centrifugal spinning apparatus: The unit comprises first and second belts which are horizontally separated from one another and each respectively mounted at one end on first and second powered drums. Each of the belts projects downward through separate slit guides disposed respectively below the powered drum. An operating bar is disposed below the slit guides and a resilient bag-type gripper for removing a cake from a spinning pot pivotally suspended at one end thereof. The other end of the first belt is pivotally attached at an intermediate point between the ends of the operating bar and the other end of the other belt is attached at the end of the bar remote from the gripper means. The gripper is adapted to be maintained in a position of vertical alignment with the axis of the spinning pot immediately prior to beginning removal of a cake from the pot.

United States Patent Isobe et al.

APPARATUS FOR TAKING OUT CAKES FROM CENTRIFUGAL SPINNING UNITS Inventors: Akihiro Isobe; Takeshi Iwasaki;

Shigeo Katsuyama, all of Nobeoka, Japan Asahi Kasei Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha, Osaka, Japan Filed: Nov. 16, 1973 Appl. No.: 416,509

Assignee:

Foreign Application Priority Data Nov. 18, 1972 Japan 47-115845 U.S. Cl. 57/52, 57/34 CF Int. Cl D0lh 9/06, DOlh l/O8, DOlh 7/74 Field of Search 57/34 R, 34 CP, 52,53,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Feb. 4, 1975 [57] ABSTRACT A cake removal unit is disclosed for a centrifugal spinning apparatus:

The unit comprises first and second belts which are horizontally separated from one another and each respectively mounted at one end on first and second powered drums. Each of the belts projects downward through separate slit guides disposed respectively below the powered drum. An operating bar is disposed below the slit guides and a resilient bag-type gripper for removing a cake from a spinning pot pivotally suspended at one end thereof. The other end of the first belt is pivotally attached at an intermediate point between the ends of the operating bar and the other end of the other belt is attached at the end of the bar remote from the gripper means. The gripper is adapted to be maintained in a position of vertical alignment with the axis of the spinning pot immediately prior to beginning removal of a cake from the pot.

5 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures PATENTED FEB 4|975 SHEET 2 BF 5 FIG. 3

FIG. 4

PATENTED Mews SHEET 30F 5 FIG. 5 V

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B's-105E? WCAKE IS GRIPPED I AND GRIPPER EXPANDS SECOND STEP ZSEC. LSEC. 5 SEC. v l 1 UP 10 SEC. HB)GR|PPER CONTRACTS 5 DOWN AKE IS ON THE SEC 355 CAKE TABLE 3' SEC.

5 SEC.

8 SEC.

l \j-0R|PPER IS ABovE CAKE TABLE a SEQ THIRD STEP 5 SEC Q FB '1 Po covER RETURN IA\\\\ \\N LATER L SHIFT. 14 SEC.

RB 8 SEC.

T 16 SEC. HQPOT Y FOURTH STEP ZSEC. 4 28 SEC. T

7 SEC.

7SEC.

8 SEC.

Pmemsnm 4M5 A I 3,863,432

SHEET t UF' 5 FIG. 7 FIG. 8

I BEU2UP Y BELTZDOWN PAIEIIIEIIFEH' 3.863.432

SHEET 50F 5 123 'FIG; 9

AIR 4 r RESERVOIR 25 28 MVI IL IL IL IL IL .1 32a 25b 32a 32b 32 32d 11.2 W2 S1S100 DOWN UP AIR RESERVOIR 1330 39 131.0 41a 141 I33 I31.

APPARATUS FOR TAKING OUT CAKES FROM CENTRIFUGAL SPINNING UNITS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to improvements in and relating to an apparatus for automatic removal of rayon cake from a spinning pot of a centrifugal spinning unit, preferably in a number of similar spinning units and in unison with each other.

Generally speaking in the prior art, the cake removal operation has been carried out substantially manually which means naturally a highly labor-consuming job at low working efficiency. In addition, in the case of the viscose rayon spinning process, problems occur by virtue of development of unhealthy and irritative waste gases.

In consideration of the various conventional drawbacks in the art, various machines have been proposed to carry out mechanically cake removal job. As a representative example, this kind of cake removal machine comprises a carriage mounted movably along and outside the common machine frame of a number of, say 100, spinning units arranged into a group in a row, and said carriage is provided with an expandable and contractable elongated arm which is fitted at its free end with a cake gripper adapted for catching the cake in the pot upon extending the arm and for taking out it therefrom by contracting the extended arm for conveying the cake outside of the spinning unit. In practice, this cake removal job is repeated successively one after another of the spinning units consisting of the group.

As is commonly known, the centrifugal rayon spinning unit is provided with an insulating door means for the prevention of escape of developed irritative waste gases from inside of the occupying space of the spinning unit to the working environment in the factory housing several to twenty or more spinning unit groups of the above kind. With use of the above kind of carriage type cake removal machine, it is a highly troublesome and time-consuming operation to open and close the insulating door for each cake removal job which is carried out generally before and after this job, respectively. Waste and unhealthy gases will escape, therefore, during the door-opening periods, into the working factory environment which is thus contaminated (gradually with increased concentration of such waste gases as the spinning process proceeds, inviting thereby a serious sanitary and safety problem. In addition, the frequently repeated cake removal job represents a very low operational efficiency, as was referred to hereinbefore, by virtue of the single piece take-up for each cake removal operation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The main object of the present invention is to provide a cake removal apparatus devoid of the aforementioned conventional drawbacks and preferably capable of performing an automatic cake removal simultaneously of all the cakes from the spinning pots of a large number of centrifugal spinning units at a high operational efficiency without leakage of the unhealthy irritative waste gases.

In the present invention, a first belt is rotatably mounted on and suspended adjustably from a first drum through a limited first stationary slit guide, which drum may be driven in both directions by a first device motor. In addition, a second belt is rotatably mounted on and suspended adjustably from a second drum, through a limited second stationary slit guide, which drum may be driven in both directions by a second drive motor. The second belt, called cake drawing-out belt, is attached at its free end to an operating bar at an intermediate point between the both ends thereof, said bar having pivotably suspended at its one end an inflatable resilient bag type cake gripper, while the first belt, called drawing belt", is attached pivotably at its free end with said operating bar at the opposite end or at a close proximity thereto. The cake gripper is adapted for being kept in vertical alignment with the axis of a spinning pot directly before commencement of the cake removal job. At least one complete unit including belts, operating bar and gripper for each of a number of spinning units grouped in line one after another.

These and further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from following detailed description of the invention by reference to the accompanying drawings illustrative of a preferred embodiment of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-section of a cake removal unit for one of a number of centrifugal spinning units, said cake removal unit being shown at its operational stage directly before performing its cake removal job from a spinning pot.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of several working constituent parts of the cake removal unit according to this invention shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a similar view to FIG. 1, showing two intermediate stages illustrated in full line and in chaindotted line, as appearing during the cake removal operation.

FIG. 4 is a similar view to FIGS. 1 and 2, showing the off-service position of the cake removal unit.

FIG. 5 is a timing chart showing operational sequence of several working parts employed.

.FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view of a control cam assembly adapted for sequence control of the drive motors and electromagnetic valves employed.

FIGS. 7 and 8 are enlarged detail views of two representative constituent cams selected from the cam packet shown in FIG. 6.

FIGS. 9 and 10 are schematic connection diagrams of two embodiments of the pneumatic piping arrangement adapted for expanding and contacting a main cake gripper and an auxiliary pot cover gripper.

FIG. 11 is a partially sectioned elevation of the auxiliary gripper for catching and releasing the pot cover.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now to the accompanying drawings, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail.

In FIG.. 1, numeral 1 represents a first or drawing belt; 2 denotes a second or cake taking-out belt; 3 an operating bar; 4 a cake gripper; 5 a spinning pot and 6 a cake table which preferably may be a conveyor belt, when necessary.

Second belt 2 is wound on a drum l2 and suspended vertically therefrom through a stationary slit guide 11 which is provided in proximity to an upper godet roll 71 mounted on a common machine frame 7, being only shown partially and in its schematic outline, of a number of spinning units, not shown. Said slit guide 11 is arranged substantially in a vertical alignment with the pot belonging to the related one of the spinning units.

The lower end of the second belt 2 is pivotably connected at 31 to the operating bar 3 at an intermediate point between the both end extremities thereof, as shown more specifically in FIG. 2. From one end of the operating bar 3, the cake gripper 4 is pivotably suspended at 33.

An elongated cake table 6 extending perpendicularly to the drawing paper of FIG. 1 for the whole length of the common machine frame 7 is fixedly mounted on a bottom deck 72 made integral therewith. From a second rotatable drum 22, first belt 1 depends through a second slit guide 121 formed at an upper and lateral deck 100 to the opposite end of the operating bar 3 and pivotably attached thereto at 32, as clearly be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2. Drums l2 and 22 are rotatably mounted respectively on pedestals 12a and 22a rigidly supported on the lateral deck 100. Reversible electric motors 14 and 24, only schematically shown and mounted on the same deck 100 are arranged to drive the drums l2 and 22, respectively, through respective transmission belts l3 and 23. As will be set forth hereinafter, the operating bar 3 can be lowered and elevated as desired, as well as shifted laterally in the horizontal direction in FIG. 1, by the combination of forward and backward drive of the both electric motors.

In the present arrangement, related constituents thereof are so designed and arranged that the longitudinal axis of cake gripper 4 coincides with that of pot 5 when the former is brought into its position directly in advance of performing the cake take-out.

The cake gripper 4 comprises an elongated hollow resilient bag tube 43 made preferably of rubber and pneumatically expandable and contractable at the will of the operator. This bag tube 43 is fitted with a metal head 41 which is pivotably attached at 33, as described hereinbefore. Although not specifically shown, this metal head 41 is hollow and the interior space thereof is kept in fluid communication with the interior of the bag tube 43. The metal head 41 is provided rigidly with an air supply and discharge socket 42 which communicates through a flexible piping 42a and a control valve, not shown, with a pressure air supply source, preferably an air reservoir, again not shown, and open atmosphere. In the position shown, the second belt 2 passes near the godet roll 71, although the axis of the cake gripper 4 coincides with that of the pot 5 as was described hereinabove. The position of first slit guide 11 is so selected as to retain suspension of belt 2 near the godet roll.

At a close proximity, as shown, to the opposite end of operating bar 3, a proper weight mass 34 is attached thereto. The true weight of this mass 34 is so selected that it influences in combination with the weight of slackened first belt 1 substantially counter balancing the cake gripper 4, so as to keep the bar 3 in an inclined position in space around the suspension pin 31 when the whole arrangement is kept at its position shown in FIG. 1. The same effect can be realized without use of the balancing weight mass 34 by adopting a longer length of the right-hand upwardly inclined half of the bar 3. Or alternatively, the length of first belt 1 can be adjusted, so as to attain a proper dead weight of the slackened belt 1 for attaining the same counter balancing effect.

The slit guide 121 is positioned so that when the second belt 2 has been slackened and instead the first belt 1 is suspended in its tightened state, the cake gripper 4 inclines vertically towards the center of the cake table 6. Or in the words, second slit guide 121 vertically aligns with the center of cake table 6. This mutual relationship is shown clearly seen from FIG. 3 when the first belt 1 and cake gripper 4 are observed in their full line positioned. In this way, a gripped cake can be carried to the upper surface of the table 6 under gravity action, as will be more fully described hereinafter.

The operation of the apparatus so far shown and described is as follows. In this respect, the following description will be set forth substantially in connection with only a single spinning unit for simplicity of same. But, the simultaneous cake removal operation in connection with the whole grouped units, say units arranged in line, can be equally carried out as will be more fully described hereinafter.

During the spinning operational period, say three hours as an example, a cake will be gradually accumulated in the interior space of pot 5. In this case, viscose is supplied from a spinning pump 46 through a conventional filter 47, spinneret 50, and a lower godet 48 after passage through a coagulation bath 49 to a lower godet 48, thence further to the upper godet 71. FIG. 4 shows the position of the apparatus at the starting time point of the spinning operation. The pot 5 is emptied and a cake 8 taken out by means of the foregoing cake removal operation stage and deposited on the cake table 6. In this case, the gripper 4 is positioned in close proximity to and directly below the second slit guide 21 by winding up the first belt 1 properly by driving the related motor 24 in one direction, while the second belt 2 is kept in its properly slackened state by driving the related motor 14 in one direction. This is applied to all the spinning units and their respective cake removal apparatuses, not shown. Operating bar 3 is kept at its suspended vertical position.

After completion of the spinning operation upon lapse of three hours from the initiation of the spinning. a timer or its equivalent means, not shown, operates to instruct the initiation of the simultaneous cake removal operation. Upon turning of the timer on in this way, the related motor 24 is caused to rotate in the opposite direction, so as to lower the first belt 1 from its position shown in FIG. 4, while the other motor 14 is caused to rotate gradually in the opposite direction relative to the first motor 24, so as to take up the slack of a second belt 2, so as to avoid any contact of the bar 3 with part of machine frame. In this way, the main parts 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the apparatus are brought from the position shown in FIG. 4 to that illustrated in FIG. 1 upon newly lowering second belt 2 by driving its drive motor 14 properly. At this stage, the longitudinal axis of cake gripper 4 is kept in alignment with that of pot 5, as was referred to hereinbefore. The bar 3 naturally is kept in its downwardly inclined position as shown in FIG. 1. At this stage, first belt 1 is kept at its slackened position, as shown.

Then, the second belt 2 is further flowered, while the first belt 1 is kept at its slightly slackened state, by driving the both motors 14 and 24 properly, until the cake gripper 4 with bag tube 43 contracted will have been introduced into the central empty core of the cake 8 in pot 5.

Then, a further timer or its equivalent means, not shown, operates, so as to actuate a related control valve, not shown, for introducing air pressure into the bag tube through a flexible piping provided therefor. This piping, although not shown, can be arranged along the first or second belt, as desired. By inflation of the bag tube 43, the gripper 4 can grip the cake 8. At this stage, a third timer or its equivalent means operates to drive the motor 14, so as to take up gradually the second belt 2.

When the cake 8 is disengaged from the pot 5, a fourth timer or its equivalent means operates and the first belt 1 is taken up at a slightly higher speed than the second belt, thereby initiating and continuing a lateral shift of the operating bar 3 in the right-hand direction in FIG. 1. By this operation, the bar 3 is brought gradually from its inclined position into its upright one. Thus, the vertically and commonly suspended bar-andgripper combination 3-4 carrying the cake will be brought into vertical registration with the center of cake table and at a small distance therefrom. Then, the first belt is lowered while the second belt is kept in its slackened position, until the cake 8 is mounted on cake table 6.

During the aforementioned lateral shift of the operating bar 3, both belts l and 2 are kept in their respective tightened position, a fluctuation in their suspended position of the whole mass of constituent members 3, 4 and 8 can be effectively prevented. Therefore, there is no delay for termination of pendulum movement of the suspended mass thereby improving the working efficiency.

Upon the placement of the cake on the table 6, a fifth timer or the like means operates for actuation of the air supply control valve which may preferably be a three way valve, so as to discharge the inflating air from bag tube 43 for disengagement from the cake. Finally, first belt 1 is taken up gradually, while the first belt 2 is kept in its slightly slackened position by taking up equally, until the whole constituent parts of the arrangement are brought to their off-service position shown in FIG. 4, and so on.

The belts l and 2 and operating bar 3 and cake gripper 4 are arranged equally in the similar way to each of the whole contained spinning units or pots 5, in series one after another and in line, as was hinted hereinbefore.

In place of providing a corresponding number of first and second drums as at 12 and 22, two elongated common drums, not shown, may be used, so as to deliver and take up all the first belts and the second belts from and on the respective drums. By adopting such modified arrangement, the whole cake removal arrangement can be made simpler. Especially, the number of costly drive motors can be advantageously reduced.

As will be seen clearly from the foregoing description, all the operating bars for spinning units can perform simultaneously the necessary up-and-down and lateral movements for performing the cake removal job for all the spinning units thereby avoiding conventionally employed successive cake take-ups means.

On-off and forward and reverse control of the drive motors l4 and 24 and the running period and running speed thereof and on-off operation of the control valves for supply and discharge of pressure air to and from the bag tubes 43 of all the cake grippers 4 can be performed from a centralized control panel, not shown.

Each of the first and second belts l and 2 can be made from a slightly rigid synthetic resin or synthetic rubber. The width of each of these flat belts may preferably be at least 30 mm.

For providing each of slit guides 11 and 121, two elongated parallel bars 15 and 15' may be arranged at a small mutual distance and so as to extend for the whole longitudinal length of the machine frame. These slit forming bars l5; 15 are fixedly attached to the machine frame 7 by means of pairs of attaching pieces which are preferably so arranged that each of the pairs defines both side extremities of the belt guide slit, as schematically shown in FIG. 2, although the attaching means have been omitted from the drawing for simplicity.

As the cake mounting means, an embodiment is shown in each of FIGS. 1, 3 and 4 in the form ofa cake table which can be, however, replaced by a conveyor belt, although not shown, which extends a small distance from inside to outside of the machine frame 7 for conveying the taken-out cakes to a reservoir. For this purpose, a small opening must also be provided in the end wall, not shown, of the machine frame for carrying them from inside of the frame. However, the opening area provided for this purpose may be very small in comparison with the total sum of the opening areas of the protecting and insulating doors as at 9, thus essentially no harmful effect results.

Referring further to the operation sequence chart shown in FIG. 5, the operational sequence of several main constituent parts will be described in more detail by way of a preferred practical embodiment of the invention.

Before initiation of the cake removal operation, the rotation of the pot 5 and its drive'motor 5a is stopped. Directly upon the stopping of the pot and its drive motor, the first step for introducing the cake gripper 4 into the core space of cake 8 is initiated.

For this purpose, both drive motors l4 and 24 are energized to rotate for 8.5 10 seconds and 28 seconds, respectively, so as to lower the front belt 1 and to take up the slack of rear belt 2. By this operation, the gripper 4 is at first brought to a slightly higher level than and into vertical registration with the axis of the pot 5. Directly before the termination of this first step, rear belt 2 is also lowered by energization of its drive motor 14 for 4 5.5 seconds for lowering the thus centered gripper into the idle core of cake 8.

As will be later described by reference to FIG. 9, the inflation of bag tube 43 is initiated.

After completion of this bag inflation job which may be completed within about 3 seconds, the second step for pick-up of the cake 8 and for lateral shift of cake gripper 4 is initiated.

For this purpose, drive motor 14 is energized for about 6 seconds, so as to elevate rear belt 2 a little while. Afterlapse of an idle time for about 2 seconds from initiation of the second step, drive motor 24 is energized for about 4 seconds for taking up its slack. Then, after a five second idle period, drive motor 24 is again energized for about 5 seconds to tighten the front belt. Then, after a 10 second-idle, second drive motor 24 is energized for about 5 seconds, so as to elevate the front belt 1. Slightly before termination of this operation, drive motor 14 is energized for about 6 seconds,

thereby the cake gripper 4 is brought to a slightly higher level than and into vertical alignment with the center of cake table 6. After lapse of about 6 seconds idle time for termination of pendulum movement of the suspended cake gripper-and-cake assembly, drive motor 24 is energized for about 3 seconds, so as to lower the front belt 1, for lowering the said assembly onto the cake table. At the same time, the inflating air is released from the bag tube so as to release the cake gripping.

After lapse of 3 second-idle time to allow the said discharge of pressure air from the bag tube, the third step for elevation and lateral return shift of the cake gripper is initiated.

For this purpose, drive motor 24 is energized for about 5 seconds so as to elevate the gripper 4, correspondingly. Then, drive motor 14 is energized for about 6 seconds for return shifting of the cake gripper correctly upon the pot 5. Then, drive motors 24 and 14 are energized for 14 and 8 seconds upon different idle periods as shown, so as to lower the gripper carrying the pot cover to bring the latter in position relative to the pot proper.

Upon simultaneous deenergization of the both drive motors, electromagnetic valve, not shown, is denergized for driving pneumatically the piston at 39 in the auxiliary air cylinder unit 40 to travel rightwards in FIG. 1 thereby an auxiliary gripper being released for bringing the pot cover freely placed on the pot.

Finally, the fourth step for elevating and lateral shift and re-elevating the gripper is initiated and the both drive motors are energized as shown in the lowermost part of FIG. 7. At the end of this fourth step, the gripper is brought to its off-service position shown in FIG. 4.

In place of the stationary arrangement of cake table 6, an endless belt can be employed. Furthermore, this belt means can be arranged as a whole into an up-anddown mode, so as to bring it to its elevated off-service position which is described at 6' in FIG. 1.

In order to perform the operational sequence, a control cam packet shown in FIG. 6 can be used.

In this figure, numeral 17 represents only schematically a cam motor having an elongated motor shaft 17a acting as a cam shaft as shown. This motor, when energized, performs a revolution per about 2 minutes. The shaft 17a carries rigidly several control cams 18-21, 122. First and second earns 18 and 19 control the sequence of rise and down movements of the first front belt 1, respectively. In the similar manner, third and fourth cams 20 and 21 control the sequence of rise and down movements of the second or rear belt 2.

As representative of these cams, the configurations of earns 18 and 19 are seen from FIGS. 7 and 8. In FIG. 7, cam 18 is provided with four radial projections 18a 18a for interruption of light passage to photo-cell 18e. By this light passage interruption, an electromagnetic switch, is shown, is made on so as to connect l 2 phases of a three phase A.C. current source to the first belt drive motor 24 so as to drive the latter in its forward rotational direction for elevating the first or front belt 1. During light passage period of the photo-cell 18a. the motor 24 is kept stationary. The said projections 18a 18d correspond 4, 5, 5- and 28 seconds down-going stages of this belt.

In FIG. 8, cam 19 controls the downward movements of first or front belt 1, and is formed with three radial projections 19a 190 corresponding to three downward stages extending for 28-, 3- and l 1 secondlowering periods shown in the sequence chart of FIG. 5, respectively. A photo-electric cell 19d is also provided for the same purpose as before, for cooperation with these projections 19a 190 for energization of the second belt drive motor 14.

Further cams 20 and 21 are arranged in the similar way with the foregoing cams l8 and 19, for control of the up-going and down-going motions of the second or rear belt 2 by properly driving the related drive motor 14 in accordance with the sequence chart shown in FIG. 5, although the respective cam configurations have been omitted from the drawing only for simplicity. These cams 20 and 21 cooperate with respective photoelectric cells 20a and 21a, respectively, in the same manner as before.

The final cam 122 is a stopping cam for stopping the rotation of the cam motor 17 upon the completion of one cycle of the cake removal operation for the prevention of undesired repetition for an empty cake removal operation. This signal can be utilized for simultaneous energization of an electromagnetic switch, not shown, for allowing the regular spinning operation of all the spinning units S1 S by starting respective pot motors representatively shown at 5a.

For this purpose, the stop cam 122 is formed with a single radial projection 122a which is adapted for cooperation with an attributed photo-electric cell 122b.

The above cam packet with cam motor 17 is mounted on for control panel 23 on which a control electric circuit, not shown, is provided for being controlled by the said several cams 18 21, 122.

For the inflation and contraction of the bag tube 43, FIG. 2, a pneumatic piping system is provided as shown in FIG. 9, starting from an air reservoir 123, only schematically shown by a rectangular block. This piping system comprises a pipe 25a, a junction 26, a pipe 27, a three ports type electro-magnetic valve unit MV1 which is also only schematically shown. This valve unit MV1 has an inlet port 28, an outlet port 29 from which a further piping system having numerous branch pipes 32a, 32b, 32c extends, and a discharge port 30. These branch pipes extend to the bag tubes of all the spinning units S1 S100, although not specifically shown.

From the junction 26, pipe 25b extends to inlet port 42 of a four port electro-magnetic valve MV2 which has in-and-outlet ports 143 and 44 and a discharge port 45. From the ports 143 and 44, a further piping system 132 extends which comprises a large number of flexible branch pipes for operating the double-acting type auxiliary piston-cylinder units as at 40, of all the spinning units S1 and S100.

By energizing this electromagnetic valve MV1, it will be clear that pressure air is conveyed from the reservoir 123 through 25a, 26, 27, 28, 29, 131 and 32a and the like to all the bag tubes as at 43. Conversely, when the valve MV1 is de-energized, pressure air is discharged from the bag tubes through the discharge port 30 for contacting these bags, as was described hereinbefore. For quicker and accurated operation of bag inflation and contraction, the number of electromagnetic valve MV1 can be increased, in place of the single provision as adopted in the present embodiment.

In practice and as already described in connection with the sequence chart, FIG. 5, the spinning pot is fitted with a detachable cover.

Therefore, as was referred to hereinbefore, the cake gripper is fitted with an expandable jaw elements 133 and 134 which are pivotably mounted on the cake gripper at 133a and 134a, respectively as shown schematically in FIG. 11, although in the foregoing drawings, they have been ommitted for simplicity. These jaws are linked through connecting links 135 and 136 with an operating bar 37 rigidly connected with piston rod 38 of a double-acting pneumatic piston slidably mounted in the auxiliary cylinder 40. In FIG. 11, these jaws are shown in their expanded position for gripping the pot cover shown at 141. This pot cover 141 is of the known centrifugally expandable type having an expandable spring crip 141a. When the pot cover is placed on the pot when the latter is stationary, or the during removing and transporting period, shown in FIG. 11, the spring crip 141a is in its contracted position by its own inwardly directing resilient force.

When, however, the pot cover is placed on top of the pot and the latter is brought into running at a high speed, say, 7,000 r.p.m., the spring crip 141a will centrifugally expand and is brought into engagement with a circular groove formed on the upper part of the inside wall of the pot for establishing a positive and reliable connection between the cover and the pot proper for avoiding occasional and dangerous disengagement of the former from the latter in the course of the operational running of the pot.

The auxiliary pneumatic cylinder 40 is also shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. In FIGS. 9, 10 and 11, the auxiliary cylinder 40 is of the double-acting type, and when its piston 39 is lowered in FIG. 11, the jaws 133 and 134 are caused to contract for disengagement thereof from the pot cover.

In FIG. 9, piping 25b as an extension of that denoted 25a from the junction 26 leads to inlet port 142 of the electromagnetic valve MV2 having further, two in-andoutlet ports 143 and 144 and a discharge port 145 for operational control of the double-acting type auxiliary cylinder 40 as was referred to hereinbefore.

At the time point (A) shown on the sequence chart, FIG. 5, auxiliary electromagnetic valve MV2 is energized, thereby pressurized air is delivered from first outlet port 143 thereof for bringing the piston 39 at its upper position shown in FIG. 11, thereby cripping jaws 133 and 134 are expanded for gripping the pot cover, as was referred to hereinbefore in connection with FIG. 11. The exhaust air from the cylinder 40 is discharged through discharge port 145 to the atmosphere.

When the valve MV2 is de-energized, pressure air is delivered through second outlet port 144 to the opposite side of piston 39, thereby the latter being caused to lower for contracting the expanded jaws 133; 134 so as to release the pot cover 141 therefrom. In this case, the exhaust air is discharged from the cylinder 40 through discharge port 145, as before.

In FIG. 10, a slight modification from the arrangement shown in FIG. 9 is illustrated. In this case, the

foregoing three ports main magnetic valve MVl has been replaced by a four port one MVI, having inlet 28, outlets 29' and 29 and discharge port 30 for operating an expandable and contractable jaw or pad type gripper which is not shown in the drawings on account of easy occurence to any person skilled in the art from consideration of the foregoing description of FIGS. 9 and 11. This operation is naturally carried out simultaneously in all of the spinning units 51 5100. This fact applies naturally to the case of FIG. 9.

Since the spun yarns are continuously delivered from all the spinning nozzles and thus from the upper godet rolls even when the pots are kept in their stopped conditions, a yarn-collector-and-cutter assembly of the known structure is caused to travel in the horizontal direction at a level somewhat lower than the upper godet rolls for collection and cutting-off the waste yarns. The structure and operation of such movable assembly are well known so that a further analysis thereof may be omitted from the specification and drawings.

Once the aforementioned simultaneous cake removal operation has been completed, the pots are caused to begin their rotation and the respective yarns are led to respective pots, as well known to any person skilled in the art.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are as follows:

1. A cake removal unit in a centrifugal spinning set, comprising in combination:

A. first and second belts horizontally separated from one another and each respectively mounted at one end on first and second powered drum means; each of said first and second belts projecting downward through separate slit guides each disposed respectively below said first and second powered drum means;

B. an operating bar disposed below said slit guides and having pivotally suspended at one end thereof inflatable resilient bag-type gripper means for removing a cake from a spinning pot disposed below said gripper means;

C. said operating bar having the other end of said first belt pivotally attached at an intermediate point between its ends and having the other end of said second belt attached at the end thereof remote from said gripper means; and

D. said gripper means being further adapted to be maintained in a position of vertical alignment with the axis of said spinning pot immediately prior to beginning removal of a cake from said pot.

2. The cake removal unit of claim 1 which further includes means for receiving the cake removed by the gripper means from said spinning pot.

3. The cake removal unit of claim 2 wherein said cake receiving means is an endless conveyor belt.

4. The cake removal unit of claim 1 which further includes means attached to said gripper means for inflating or deflating said gripper means.

5. The cake removal unit of claim 1 which further includes automatic separating control means for operating said unit operatively attached thereto. 

1. A cake removal unit in a centrifugal spinning set, comprising in combination: A. first and second belts horizontally separated from one another and each respectively mounted at one end on first and second powered drum means; each of said first and second belts projecting downward through separate slit guides each disposed respectively below said first and second powered drum means; B. an operating bar disposed below said slit guides and having pivotally suspended at one end thereof inflatable resilient bagtype gripper means for removing a cake from a spinning pot disposed below said gripper means; C. said operating bar having the other end of said first belt pivotally attached at an intermediate point between its ends and having the other end of said second belt attached at the end thereof remote from said gripper means; and D. said gripper means being further adapted to be maintained in a position of vertical alignment with the axis of said spinning pot immediately prior to beginning removal of a cake from said pot.
 2. The cake removal unit of claim 1 which further includes means for receiving the cake removed by the gripper means from said spinning pot.
 3. The cake removal unit of claim 2 wherein said cake receiving means is an endless conveyor belt.
 4. The cake removal unit of claim 1 which further includes means attached to said gripper means for inflating or deflating said gripper means.
 5. The cake removal unit of claim 1 which further includes automatic separating control means for operating said unit operatively attached thereto. 